𝐃𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐤 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐈𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬

We'll always find a way

I sigh feeling Derek's hand searching for mine under the table and a breath leaves his lips when my fingers entangles with his. So far dinner was going well. Mom didn't ask too many questions and Dad seemed to have chosen his mask well to portray the good old supportive father role. Derek knows, of course that most of this is an act. But he also knows that we need to keep pretending for at least after dessert before I can even think about leaving. Mom knows, I can tell that she does and I can only hope that her ignoring the signs is her way of telling me it's okay. Because even though my mind is made up, there's still a part of me that needs her to be okay.

Derek takes another sip from his water as Dad mumbles on about the time I cried on photo day and I try to ignore the feeling in my chest warning me to give up on this plan immediately. Telling me that he'll go upstairs any second and find Lydia and Stiles emptying my room into boxes. Or that Allison will forget to turn the car lights off when she gets here. Or that he'll hear Scott climbing up and down the side of the house to lower my boxes onto the ground. Or that Derek will say something that shows that he knows the real person that my dad actually is, more than the hunter who has yet to hunt. But the real him, the dark him. The person I have to run from. 

Yet the feeling of Derek's thumb tracing little circles on the inside my palm somehow sets all my nerves at ease. I focus my gaze onto the side of his face, watching as he engages in chit chat with my parents. I know that he wanted to do this very differently, that he'd much rather come in here and take my things and talk with his fists. But he agreed to this for me. A peaceful escape, without any more hitting and screaming. And in a few more minutes it'll all be over.

"What was that?" My dad asks as the shattering of glass echoes through the large mansion, making my heart stop almost permanently as I get pulled from my thoughts.

"Probably just a bird flying into the window." Mom suggest and I feel Derek's grip tighten. Dad scowls looking between the three of us.

"Well, I'll just have to go see. Won't I." He comments bitterly.

"Oh come on honey, it's probably nothing. Let's finish diner with the kids first." Mom adds, slicing into the apple pie on the table. His gaze lingers, tightening onto Derek's face and it doesn't take much for it to become clear that he's figuring it out.

"What are you up to, boy?" He demands. His eyes darken as his fingers grab at the end of the table, pulling at a knife that lays on the tablecloth. Derek stays quiet. Like he's waiting for something. A clue that everyone is out of the house and ready to go at his word. "I asked a question. One of you better answer me before I happen to lose my temper." His voice drowns into a deep growl as he slams the end of the knife onto the table making me physically jump as a reply. He turns his gaze towards me, anger residing in his lips as they pull into a scowl. "Y/n?" Is all the says as he throws the knife in the air, I swerve away from the blade as it bounces against the wall behind me. Derek growls lowly and I look at him with fear filling my features. 

The door is kicked open and in the same movement Derek stands up pulling me behind him before I could even find my balance. My dad jumps from his seat as well, challenging Derek with nothing but a venomous glare. I look to the entrance and see Scott observing the scene at play. Derek nods at him and Scott is quick to run towards me, ripping me from Derek's side. Derek turns to me briskly. 

"Go." He commands and when I remain still he turns to me even more. "Now. Go now!"

Scott grabs hold of my arms pulling me out of the room as I watch my dad make the first move, reaching for the gun in his halter just as Derek throws the first punch colliding with my dads cheek in a brutal hit. But the moment fades when I see him remove the safety aiming the gun solidly at Derek's head. My voice screams into the emptiness as I involuntary shout his name when a gunshot fires. Scott with the help of Allison tries to force me down onto the back-seat while Stiles starts driving away.